Type-writing machine.



J. F. ALLARD. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mm JULY a. 1914.

Patentd Nov. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR= -ATTO NEYf 1. F. ALLARD. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 8, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WlThiEZfiij/WJ INVENTOR: WLW W BY ATTOR Y.

1,247,063. I Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

J FRANK ALLARD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO UNDERWOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Nov. 2c, 1917.

Application filed July 8, 1914. Serial No. 849,653.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J FRANK ALLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn borough, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in bringing either color band into operation.

means of an actuator in the form 0 An object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism characterized by extreme simplicity and "compactness combined with reliability and uniformity of action.

In a preferred form of the invention, the ribbon guide or vibrator is actuated to vibrate the ribbon over the printing. oint by a lever pivotally mounted on a shiftable support,

which support may be connected to the platen shift rail to shift up and down with the platen and thus maintain an operative. relation between the ribbon and platen asthe latter is shifted. The vibrator lever may be actuated by a universal bar connected through a link to the lever, the universal bar operated by the type keys at each type stroke. The connection between the carriage shift rail and the support for the vibrator lever may comprise a shifting member carried up and, own with the shift rail, and also shiftable relatively thereto, said member connected to said support to shift the latter up and down for bringing either color band into position to be vibrated over the printing point by. the universal bar.

The vibrator lever comprises preferably a long arm to give suflicient throw to the ribbon, and a short arm to be operated by the link. The long arm swings'up and down,-

while the link moves forwardly and backwardly, so that the. entire device may be compact, as'the space in the machine is limited. This lever, therefore, preferably resembles a bell-crank, or elbow lever.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of the invention adapted to an'Underwood typewriting machine,

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation view of an Underwood machine with the invention. applied thereto.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary views illustrating the ribbon mechanism in different positions; Fig. 2 shows the platen shifted to upper case position and the upper or black ribbon band thrown over the printing point by the type-bar which is moved up to the platen; Fig.3 shows the platen in lower case position the mechanism set for using the lower ribbon band; Fig. 4 shows the platen in lower case posltion and a type-bar and the lower ribbonband over the printing point.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation view showing the ribbon keys and the shifting cam connected thereto.'

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the ribbon shifting and vibrating mechanism.

' The roller platen 1 is mounted on an axle 2 journaled in the platen frame 3 which is 'shiftable to upper and lower case positions on the carriage 4. The platen is guided in its case shifting movement by arms 5 pivoted at 6 to the carriage and at their for-' ward ends hooked beneath the platen axle. A roller 7 on the platen frame runs on a shift rail 8 carried by a platen shifting frame 9 having an axis 10 on the machine frame 11, said shifting frame 9 being-operated by a shift key lever.12 fulcrumed on a 'rod 13, and having a shift key 141.

Type-bars'15 having upper and lower case types 16, 17 are thrown upwardly and rearwardly about their fulcrums 18 to the printing point on the front face of the platen,

said type-bars being operated by keys 19 on levers 20 fulcrumed at 13 and connected through bell cranks 21 to the type-bars. The carriage may be driven in letter-feeddirection by the usual spring drum (not shown),

the letter-feed movement being controlled by escapement dogs 22 cooperating with an escapement wheel 23 connected to a pinion 24 running in mesh with a carriage rack 25 which may be lifted from said pinion by the key 26. The escapement dogs 22 are operated by a universal bar 27 in the path of the shoulders 28 on the type-bars. The

above-mentioned parts may be of the usual ,well-known construction found in the commercial Underwood typewriting machine.

The ribbon guide'and vibrator 29 through its forward end by a pivot 37 to the lever 33 and at its rear end provided with a slot 38 through which projects an arm 39 extending upwardly from the universal bar; said' arm may also extend through a slot 40 in the supporting bar 35. The link 36 may be held against accidental movement of the arm 39 by a pin 36 on the link working in a slot 35 in the support 35. When a type-bar is thrown up to the printing point, the shoulder 28 thereon moves the universal bar 27 rearwardly and the pin 39 carries the link 36, rearwardly, so that the vibrator lever 33 is thrown upwardly about its pivot 34 and lifts the ribbon guide to carry the ribbon over the printing point.

The invention is adapted for use with a bichrome ribbon which may consist of parallel bands or zones of difierent colors as for example, an upper band a and a lower band 5, shown as black and red respectively. In order that either hand may be brought over the printing point when the type-bars are operated, means are provided for shifting the normal position of the ribbon vibrator and its support up and down, a vertical distance substantially equal to the width of a color zone. This shifting means comprises a shifter 41 in the form of a horizontally disposed arm having an inclined cam slot 42, through which extends a pin 43 on the forward end of the supporting bar 35. The arm 41 is supported at its inner end by a bracket 44 fixed at its upper end to the platen shift-rail 8 and its lower end carrying a shouldered screw 45 which extends through a horizontal slot 46 in the shifter 41, permitting the latter to be shifted horizontally relative to the bracket 44, but causing said shifter to be moved up and down with the shift rail 8, when the platen is shifted. The pin 43 extending through the cam slot 42 also extends through a vertical slot 47 in the bracket 44 thereby preventing lateral movement of the supporting bar 35,

but permitting it to shift up and down when the arm 41 is carried up and down with the shift rail 8, and also permitting vsaid support 35 to shift up and down when operated through the calm slot 42 as the shifter 41 is moved longitudinally. The outer end of the shifter 41 is pivoted to a rock arm 48 on a forwardly extending rock shaft 49 to the front end of which is secured a key-lever 50 carrying black and red keys 51, 52 respectively. When the black key 51 is depressed, the Shifter 41 is carried outwardly newness type-bar thereby thrown up to the platen,

the ribbon is shifted upwardly and the black color band a brought over the printing point. If the shift key 14 is depressed to lift the platen to upper case position, the carrier 35 is also moved upwardly by means of the bracket 44, so that the position of the ribbon relative to the platen remains substantially.

constant, and the black ribbon band is carried over the printingpoint when a typebar is struck, as shown in Fig. 2. When the red ribbon shift key 52 is depressed, the shifter 41 is moved inwardly or to the left, and the pin 43 brought to the upper end of the cam slot 42, so that the carrier 35 is lifted and brings the ribbon to the Fig. 3 position in which theupper edge of the ribbon is at or just below the'printing point. If now a type key is struck the ribbon is thrown upwardly to the 'lFig. 4 position so that the red band covers the printing. point.

It will be noted that the throw of the ribbon vibrator is substantially the same for both upper and lower case position of the platen, and also for either adjustment of the ribbon shift keys 51, 52. A comparatively small and also uniform throw of the ribbon is therefore provided for all adjustments of the mechanism. The ribbon shift keys may be held in either position of adjustment by means of a pin 53 upon the lever 50 which coiiperates with a spring detent 54. The rear end of the vibrator support 35 may be pivotally supported on a rod 55 fixed at its ends to the machine frame. Collars 56 on the rod 55 prevent lateral movement of the support 35. It will be noted that the slot-and-pin connection 42, 43,- 47 positively prevents any accidental movement or throw of the support 35 in any direction.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and ortions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, ll claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen shiftable to upper and lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator for vibrating a ribbon having difierent color zones, an actuator for the vibrator, a universal bar to operate said actuator and move the ribbon over the printing point on the platen, a support for said actuator, a keyoperated shifter for bodily shifting said support, actuator and vibrator up and down to bring either color zone into active position and maintain a substantially constant amplitude of vibration for both color zones,

2. In a typewriting machine, the combi-' nation with a carriage,-a platen thereon, and means comprising a shift rail for shifting the carriage to upper and lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator, a lever for actuating said vibrator, a support on which said lever is mounted, a universal bar connected to said lever for operating the latter, a shifter connected to said support and operable to move said support and thereby shift said lever and vibrator to bring either color band of a bichrome ribbon into operative position, a connection between said shifter and the, carriage shift rail for oving said shifter and support up and down with the platen, and a key for operating the shifter.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen shiftable to upper and lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator and an actuating lever therefor to vibrate a' ribbon having different color zones, and shifting mechanism for bodily shifting the ribbon vibrator and lever while retaining their relative position substantially unchanged, to thereby bring either color zone into operative relation to the platen when the platen 18 in veither case position, while maintaiiijing a substantially constant throw of the ri bon vibrator by its actuating lever.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen shiftable to upper and lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator, an actuator therefor, a carrier for said actuator, means for shifting said carrier up and down with the platen to maintain a constant relation between the ribbon vibrator and the platen during the shifting of the platen, and-means for shiftin the carrier up and down relatively to t e platen to bring different widths of the ribbon into use without any substantial change in the relative position of the vibrator and its actuator, or the throw of the vibrator.

4 5. In a typewriting machine, the combi-' nation with a platen shiftable to upperand lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator, an actuator therefor, a carrier for said actuator, means for shifting said carrier up and down with the platen to maintain a constant relation betwen the ribbon vibrator and the platen during the shifting of the platen, and a device for shifting said carrier up and down independently of the shifting-of the platen, to bring different widths of the ribbon into activity while maintaining the relative position of the ribbon, vibrator and actuator substantially unchanged. 6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a shift rail, a ribbon vibrator, an actuator to vibrate the vibrator and ribbon, a connection between the shift rail and said actuator for moving the latter u and down with the shift rail, and

means or moving the actuator and vibrator up and down together relative to said shift rail, and thereby bring different widths of and actuator up and down as a unit to bring difl'erent widths of the ribbon into position for use, and a connection between the universal bar and said actuator for imparting substantially equal vibrations to said vibrator for all positions of adjustment of said carrier.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with aplaten shiftable to upper and lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator, an actuator for'said vibrator, a carrier on which said actuator is mounted, whereby the vibrator and actuator are shiftable up and down with the carrier while maintaining their relative position substantially unchanged, a connection between the platen and the carrier for moving the carrierup and down with the platen, and a shifting device for the carrier movable up and down with said carrier, and also movable transversely relatively to the carrier, said shifting device comprising means for moving the carrier up or down when the shifting device is moved transversely.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a shift rail, of a platen supported thereon and movable therewith to upper and lower case positions, a ribbon vibrator, an actuating lever for said vibrator, a carrier for said lever, abracket on said shift rail having a slot-and-pin connection with the carrier to permit vertical movement of the carrier relative to the shift rail, and a shifting device having a slot-and-pin connection with said bracket. permitting a horizontal movement of the shifting device and cansing said shifting device to be moved up and I a carrier forsaidlever, a bracket on said shift rail having a slot-and-pin connection shift said carrier vertically when the shift-' ing device is moved horizontally, and a shift key connected to said shifting device for moving the latter horizontally to bring either'color zone of the .ribbon into activity.

11. In a ribbon mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination with a universal bar, of a ribbon vibrator, a lever to actuate said vibrator, a support on which said lever is pivoted, a link connecting said lever to said universal bar for operating the vibrator when the universal bar is operated, a shifting device having an inclined slotand-pin connection with said support for moving the latter up and down, and keyoperated means for moving said shifting device horizontally.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen shiftable to upper and lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator, means for moving the vibrator up and down with the platen to maintain substantially the same relation between the platen and vibrator when the platen is in either case position, a universal bar, connections comprising an actuating lever between the universal bar and the vibrator for vibrating the latter, the amplitude of vibration being substantially the same for both upper and lower case position, and a shifting device to shift the vibrator and lever up and down bodily as a unit relatively to the platen without changing said connections between the universal bar and vibrator or the relative position of the vibrator and said lever, to thereby bring either color zone of a bi-chrome ribbon into operative position. I

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen shiftable to upper and lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator for a ribbon having different color zones or hands, a lever for actuating said vibrator, a support for said lever, a universal bar connected to said lever for operating the latter, a shifter connected to said support and operable to move the support, lever and vibrator as a unit up an'd down to bring either color zone into operative osition while maintaining the relative posltion of the vibrator and its actuating lever unchanged, said shifter and support connected to move up and down with the platen, and a key or keys for operating the shifter.

14. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen movable to up er and lower case positions, of a ribbon vibrator, an actuator to vibrate the vibrator and ribnaaaoes bon, a support on which said actuator is mounted, a connection between said support and the platen for moving the support, actuator, and vibrator as a unit up and down with the platen, and means for shifting the actuator up and down relatively to the platen independently of its ribbon-vibrating operations to thereby bring difierent widths of the ribbon into use.

15. The combination with a shiftable platen and a universal bar, of a ribbon vibrator, an actuator therefor, means for bodily shifting said vibrator and actuator relatively to the platen while maintaining the relative position of the vibrator and actuator substantially constant, and connections between the universal bar and said actuator for imparting vibrations of substantially equal amplitudes to said vibrator for all positions into which said actuator may be shifted.

16. In ribbon mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination with a vibrator for a ribbon having difierent color bands, of an actuator for said vibrator, a support on which said actuator is mounted, a platenshifting frame, and a device forming a connection between said support and frame, said device shiftable to shift the support and with it said actuator and vibrator up and down relatively to the platen-shifting frame for bringing the difierent color hands into position for use, said support and frame also shiftable up and down together, whereby the vibrator and actuator are shifted up and down with the platen-shifting frame.

17. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and a platen-shifting frame, of a vibrator for a ribbon having difierent color stripes 0r bands, an actuator for said vibrator, a support on which the actuator is mounted, and a key-actuated device forming a shiftable connection between said support and frame and operable to shift said support up and down relatively to the said frame to thereby shift the vibrator and its actuator to bring different color hands into position for use, said device also causing the said support to shift up and down with the platen-shifting frame to shift the ribbon up and down with the platen.

18. The combination with a universal bar having a, forward and rearward movement, of a ribbon vibrator, an elbow lever forming an actuator for the vibrator, a support on which the elbow lever is pivoted, said elbow lever having a short arm having mainly a forward and rearward movement about its pivot, and a long arm extending forwardly and having mainly an up and down movement, said vibrator connected to the forward end of said long arm to be moved up and down, alink connected to the elbow lever and extending rearwardly therefrom,

bination with a universal bar movable rearwardly at each type stroke, of a ribbon vibrator for a ribbon having different color bands, an elbow lever forming an actuator for said vibrator, a, support on which said elbow lever is mounted, the elbow lever having a short arm pivoted to said support, and a forwardly extending long arm to which the vibrator is connected at the forward end of said arm, a link pivoted to the upper end of said short arm and extending rearwardly therefrom and having an operating connection with the universal bar for causing a rearward movement of said bar to throw the vibrator upwardly, and means to shift said support up and down and thereby shift the vibrator to bring different color bands into use.

20. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a, universal bar movable rearwardly at each type stroke, of a ribbon vibrator for a ribbon having different color' bands, an elbow lever forming an actuator for said vibrator, a support on which said elbow lever is mounted, the elbow-lever havin a short arm pivoted to said support, and a forwardly extending long arm to which the vibra or is connected at the forward end I of said arm, link pivoted to the upper end of said short arm and extending rearwardly therefrom and having an operating connection with the universal bar for causlng a rearward movement of said bar to throw the vibrator upwardly, a platen-shifting frame shiftable up and down, and a key-operated device forming a connection between said support and frame for causing the support to shift up anddown with the frame, said device operable to shift said support relatively to the frame and thereby shift the ribbon up and down relatively to said frame.

21. In a front-strike writing machine, the combination with a universal bar arran ed to be moved rearwardly at each type stro e, of a ribbon vibrator for supporting and vibrating a ribbon, an elbow lever forming an actuator for said vibrator, a supporting bar overlying the universal bar, said elbow lever having a short arm extending downwardly from it's elbow and pivoted to said supporting bar, and a forwardly extending an operating connection between the universal bar and said actuator, said link pivoted at the elbow of said lever, and extending rearwardly therefrom and supported and guided on said supporting bar.

22. In a front-strike writing machine, the combination with a universal bar arranged to be moved rearwardly at each type stroke, of a ribbon vibrator for supporting and vibrating a ribbon, an elbow lever forming an actuator for said vibrator, a supporting bar overlying the universal bar, said elbow lever having a short arm extending down- Wardly from its elbow and pivoted to said supporting bar, and a forwardly extending arm to the forward end of which the vibrator is connected, a link to form an operating connection between the universal bar and said actuator, said link pivoted at the elbow of said lever, and extending rearwardly therefrom and supported and guided on said supporting bar, and means for shifting said supporting bar up and down for shifting the vibrator and its actuating lever up and down to bring different widths of the ribbon into active position.

23. In a front-strike writing machine, the combination with. a universal bar arranged to be moved rearwardly at each type stroke, of a ribbon vibrator for supporting and vibratinga ribbon, an elbow lever forming an from and supported and guided on said supporting bar, means for shifting said supporting bar up and down for shifting the vibrator and its actuating lever up and down to bring different widths of the ribbon into active position, a platen-shifting frame shiftable up and down, said supporting bar connected to the platen-shifting frame to shift up and down therewith, and means for shifting said supporting bar up and down relatively to said frame.

24. In a front-strike writing machine, the

combination with a universal bar arranged to be moved rearwardly at each type stroke, of a ribbon vibrator for supporting'and vibrating a ribbon, an elbow lever forming an actuator for said vibrator, a supporting bar overlying the universal bar, said elbow lever having a short arm extending-downwardly from its elbow and pivoted to said supporting bar, and a forwardly extending arm to the forward end of which the vibrator is connected, a link to form an operating connection between thevuniversal bar and said iio actuator, said link pivoted at the elbow of said lever, and extending rearwardly therefrom and supported and guided on said supporting bar, means forming a pivotal mounting for the rear end of said supporting bar, and a key-operated shifting device for swinging said bar about its pivot to shift the vibrator and, actuating lever up and down.

25. The combination with a universal bar having a forward and rearward movement, of a ribbon vibrator, an elbow lever forming an actuator for the vibrator, a support on which the elbow lever is pivoted, said elbow lever having a short arm having mainly a forward and rearward movement about its pivot, and a long arm extending forwardly from the short arm and having mainly an up-and-down movement, said vibrator con? nected to the forward end of said long arm, to be moved up and down, means whereby the elbow lever is operated by the universal bar, a platen, and means for shifting said support up and down relatively to the platen, to bring difierent color bands of the ribbon into use.

26. The combination with a universal bar having a forward and rearward movement, of a ribbon vibrator, an elbow lever forming an actuator for the vibrator, a support on which the elbow lever is pivoted, said elbow lever having a short arm having mainly a forward and rearward movement about its pivot, and a long arm extending forwardly from the short arm and having mainly an up-and-down movement, said vibrator connected to the forward end of said long arm, to be moved up and down, means whereby the elbow leveris operated by the universal bar, a platen-shifting frame shiftable up and down, said support connected with the frame to shift up and down therewith, and means for shifting said support up and down relatively to said frame.

27. The combination with a universal bar having a forward and rearward movement, of a ribbon vibrator, an elbow lever forming an actuator for the vibrator, a support on which the elbow lever is pivoted, Said elbow lever having a short upright arm for forward and rearward movement, and a;

long arm having an up-and-down movement and connected to the vibrator to move it up and down, means connecting said short arm to the universal bar for causing said bar to actuate the elbow lever, a platen, and means for shifting said support up and down relatively to the platen 'to bring different color bands of the ribbon into use.

28. The combination with a universal bar having a forward and rearward move ment, of a ribbon vibrator, an elbow lever formin an actuator for the vibrator, said elbow for backward and forward movement, and

' a long arm for up-and-down movement, said ever having a short upright arm rat-aces short arm pivoted to said support, and connecting means extending from the elbow of said elbow lever to the universal bar for causing the latter to actuate the elbow lever, the free end of said long arm of the elbow lever being connected to the vibrator to move it up and down.

- 29. The combination with a universal bar having a forward and rearward movement, of a ribbon vibrator, an elbow lever forming an actuator for the vibrator, said elbow lever havin a short upright arm for backward and forward movement, and a long arm for up-and-down movement, said short arm pivoted to said support, connecting? means extending from the elbow of said elbow lever to the universal bar for causing the latter to actuate the elbow lever, the free end of said long arm of the elbow lever being connected to the vibrator to move it up and down, a platen-shifting frame shiftable up and down to difi'erent case positions, and means connecting said frame and said support to shift the latter and the ribbon vibrator up and down with said frame.

30. The combination with a universal bar having a forward and rearward movement,

arm pivoted to said support, connecting means extending from the elbow of said elbow lever to the universal bar for causing the latter to actuate the elbow lever, the free end of said long arm of the elbow lever being connected to the vibrator to move it up and down, a platen-shifting frame shiftable up and down to difl'erent case positions, means connecting said frame and said support to shift the latter and the ribbon vibrator up and down with said frame, and means whereby said support may be shifted up and down relatively to the said frame for bringing difi'erent color bands of the ribbon into use.

4 31. In a typewriting machine, the oombit -nation with a platen-shifting frame, of a thereby bring diflerent color bands of the ribbon into active position.

J FRANK ALLAJRD. Witnesses:

W, 0, WES'JI'JPHAL, ollpmns Dponsrrnr. 

